Information about the community’s demographics, environment, and social systems can provide valuable insight into the community’s potential to meet the Healthy People 2030 Initiatives. This paper will cover the results of the assessment of the community of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, zip code 33313, using information from statistics and observations from a windshield survey. The assessment shows that the primary needs of the community are the availability of screening services and the improvement of the community’s health literacy. Thus, the role of community health nursing in meeting these needs is to educate patients about the importance of regular screenings and preventive treatment measures.
Community Data
People
The windshield survey showed that the community is mainly represented by young adults and adults between their late 20s and 40s. According to statistics data, more than 50,000 people live in the community, with a slightly higher proportion of the female population (53%) (City Data, 2022). Furthermore, the majority (76.5%) of the community’s population is represented by Black people (City Data, 2022). Thus, the relatively young age of the community members represents its strength since there is no need for additional nursing care services.
The 2030 Healthy People initiative focuses on attaining a higher level of the population’s health literacy to improve the nation’s well-being. The initiative acknowledges the importance of socio-economic determinants of health by emphasizing how social determinants such as structural racism and systemic bias affect the population’s health literacy (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 2022). African American communities are often affected by a low level of health literacy due to a combination of different social and cultural factors (Muvuka et al., 2020). For example, African-American men often delay preventative health screening due to medical mistrust and a lack of equity in healthcare (Powell et al., 2019). Thus, to meet the Healthy People 2030 initiative, the local community should significantly improve the population’s health literacy level.
Environment
Next, consideration of environmental conditions is essential in assessing the community’s health needs because the environment defines opportunities for residents’ recreational activities. The City Park, located at 6600 Sunset Strip, offers community residents and their families an opportunity to spend a day in nature to rest and walk or engage in sports activities such as basketball and tennis. The windshield survey detected the presence of dedicated bike lanes and sidewalks and defined that the general community area is clean, with many plants and trees adorning the view. Despite minor cracks in the road pavement in residential areas, the windshield survey found no potential threats to residents in the form of pollution and no signs of graffiti or billboards.
Social Systems
Social systems and their location and accessibility play an important role in the community’s well-being. Assessment of the community’s available health systems defined a significant issue. The medical center is located far from the community’s central area, reducing the likelihood of the population attending preventive screenings. Furthermore, the windshield survey identified less than ten gyms in the community area, which may not be enough for the community’s nearly 50 thousand population.
Analysis
Firstly, the statistics defined that most of the community is represented by African American women. African-American women face a higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases due to socio-economic factors and unhealthy lifestyle practices such as deficient diets (Vatsa et al., 2021). The prevention of cardiovascular disease is possible through timely screening. However, the community’s medical center is located far from the community area’s center. Therefore, to meet the 2030 Healthy People initiative goals, the community needs additional screening centers. In addition, physical activity plays a vital role in preventing CVD; however, the assessment identified a lack of gyms in the community. Therefore, the population should be educated about the importance of physical activity, such as individual physical exercises or running, for the prevention of CVD.
Recommendations
The Herbert Sadkin Community Center provides affordable options for fitness classes and creates special educational programs such as fitness classes for pregnant women. The organization aims to address the community’s needs by providing assistance in affordable education for residents in the basics of physical activity. In cooperation with the Herbert Sadkin Community Center, the local medical center can create one-time classes to educate patients at risk of CVD about effective physical exercises to prevent the disease’s development.
Summary
The assessment emphasized the role of the population’s health literacy and lifestyle in the overall nation’s well-being. The paper also showed how demographic information could be used to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the community and identify possible threats to the population’s health. The assessment identified that a lack of opportunities for preventative measures could cause significant adverse health outcomes for the populations and, therefore, should be acknowledged as a top priority. Nurses can help meet the community’s needs by providing quality health services and informing patients about potential health risks.
Reflection
In conclusion, learning about a windshield survey allowed me to gain a new perspective on the process of evaluating the weak and strong sides of the local community. Now I acknowledge the importance of local resources for the community’s well-being and appreciate the initiatives of local community centers. The paper also allowed me to understand the role of nursing in addressing community needs by increasing the population’s awareness of potential health risks. In the future, I plan to become civically engaged within your community by participating in free health screening events, educating patients about potential health risks, and raising the community’s awareness about CVD prevention measures. I think that n the future, the role of community health nurses will become more important since all communities have specific features, and it is crucial to understand them to communicate effectively with patients.
References
City Data. (2022). 33313 Zip Code (Lauderhill, FL) detailed profile.
Muvuka, B., Combs, R. M., Ayangeakaa, S. D., Ali, N. M., Wendel, M.L., & Jackson, T. (2020). Health literacy in African-American communities: Barriers and strategies. Health Literacy Research and Practice, 4(3), 138-143.
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2022). Health equity in Healthy People 2030.
Powell, W., Richmond, J., Mohottige, D., Yen, I., Joslyn, A., & Corbie-Smith, G. (2019). Medical mistrust, racism, and delays in preventive health screening among African-American men. Behavioral Medicine, 45(2), 102-117.
Vatsa, N., Thobani, A., Buendia, L., Murphy, K., Asier, S., Chen, Z., Ko, Y. A., Putnam, T., Mehta, P. K., & Lundberg, G. P. (2021). Cardiovascular risk factors in younger black women: Results from the 10,000 women community screening project. American Heart Journal Plus: Cardiology Research and Practice, 8, 1-8.